Orlando Director’s Forum

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I went to the Orlando Director’s Forum at Valencia College East Campus (701 N Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, Florida 32825). The forum featured a group of Orlando’s most stylistically diverse stage. This was a great opportunity to hear unique perspectives on inspiration, casting, rehearsal process, trouble-shooting, and overall creative process of directing. Seth Kubersky hosted a moderated discussion followed by a questions and answers with attendees.

The event featured (in alphabetical order)…

Rob Winn Anderson: Consulting Artistic Director – Garden Theatre

Mike Carr: Artistic Director – SAK Comedy Lab

John DiDonna: Program Chair of Theater – Valencia College, Director/Creator – Phantasmagoria

Pam Harbaugh: Director – Theater on the Edge

Beth Marshall: Producing Artistic Director/Theatre Artist – Beth Marshall Presents

Eric Pinder: Director in Residence – Opera Orlando

Donald Rupe: Director of Theatre – Central Florida Community Arts

Jeremy Seghers: Independent Producer and Director

I love these kinds of events because listening to these directors talk about the creative process reminds me that all the arts share the same creative challenges. It offered inspiration to keep sketching and painting despite any setbacks. I have seen and admired the work of each of these directors in turn as I sketch the arts scene around Orlando. Orlando has such a vibrant theater community since so man actors come to Orlando to work for the theme parks. Those rolls offer limited artistic challenges, so they are always looking for more edgy options to test their chops.

You Should Do…

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One year ago today, Brian Feldman hosted a series of five minute, in-person, one-on-one meetings in a small elevator inside the Orlando Shakespeare Center. He maneuvered two full length mirrors into the elevator creating a visual infinite loop. I sat in on a series of these short meetings with the egg timer reminding me of the swift passage of time. For the first time in his career, Brian will genuinely consider all pitched project ideas to him during this one-time-only event, without his standard “You should do it” response. Interested participants registered for one of the 36 available meeting times on May 6, 2016.

Over the course of his 13 year career as a performance artist, people would regularly approach him with ideas of their own for projects that he should do. His response has always remained steadfast: “You should do it.” … Until now. He genuinely considered all pitched project ideas during this
one-time-only event, without his standard “You should do it” response.

At the time of this performance, Brian was recovering from a horrible mugging in Washington DC which resulted in multiple broken bones.  Among
the many things he struggled with at the time was an inability to devise any new project ideas. While friends and family members assured him that these ideas will return to him in due time, he was impatient for the muse to strike.

By
participating in “You Should Do,” participants acknowledged that Brian Feldman
only agreed to genuinely listen to and consider the proposed project
idea. It did not imply an agreement that any project would actually be
produced. Note that any projects sent through Twitter are public
and may be produced by anyone, at any time, worldwide and without your
permission.

I didn’t have any inspired ideas other that having an artist document each performance. The space got cramped once three people sat in the tiny elevator meeting room. Seth Kubersky had some wonderful ideas that would tie in with a certain local themes park’s anniversary. His suggestions seemed to hold the most weight. As of today, one year later, none of the projects have been produced but there is always a chance that they will surface and bloom, even years later. Case in point, this sketch sat tucked way in a sketchbook until today.

A Phantasmagoria Fire Dance to Ring in the New Year.

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John DiDonna the producer of the Steam punk horror story telling group Phantasmagoria invited me to his home in Sanford for New Year’s Eve. I of course expected lots of actors and actresses and was intent on sketching the midnight fire dance. House numbers were impossible to see at night, so we parked in the general facility and walked the neighborhood in search of the party. We walked past this state historic mansion even they I heard voices in the back yard. By process of elimination I finally decided that this had to be it. I heard John laughing in the backyard, so I walked across the lawn toward a gate on the side of the house. Of course most normal guest would knock on the front door, but I walked towards voices and then tried to open a stubborn old side gate. John saw me struggling and he came over to help me force the gate open. Bricks were piled everywhere and a garden hose slithered in all directions across the path. Guests were relaxing around a fire pit in the back yard. I shook hands with Seth Kubursky and hugged his wife Genevieve Bernard.

I was carrying a cold bottle of Prosecco and needed to drop it off in the kitchen. Dion Leonhard greeted us in the doorway. She grabbed the bottle and whisked us inside. She immediately started giving us a tour of the home. John and Dion had recent purchased the historic home from someone who had lost his partner and wanted to escape the memories. The price was a steal. An inspector working for John expected to find dry rot and structural problems, but after several hours, he pulled John aside and said “You have to buy this home.” The original floor plans are hung in the entry hall and a giant staircase was decorated with dozens of framed theater posters. Dion pointed out what looked like a trap door in the floor. This is just on of six houses in Seminole county that has a basement. She opened the basement door, and I could see a skeleton reclined on a basement shelf. Original cabinetry, historic wallpaper and a giant four post bed really made the place feel like it had stepped back in time. The restoration is an ongoing project. Dion was very excited about a room at the top of the stairs that will soon be her dance studio.

The home has a ghost. The upstairs guest bedroom is where Minerva’s body had been reclined for two weeks. It was a strangely long time to leave her lying there. It is believed that she still wanders the halls. It was getting close to midnight and Dion had to get ready for the fire dance. Guests gathered in front of the home  and the Phantasmagoria fire dancers used the sidewalk as a stage. I decided that the best view was “backstage'” across the street. My friend was confused by my choice and she huddled together with the rest of the theater audience on the front lawn. The count down began… 10, 9, 8, 7, . . . A midnight everyone cheered and the flames ignited. Each performer had a torch candelabra with four or fire flames in each hand. A car driving by honked its approval. Fireworks were exploding all around the neighborhood. It felt like I was sketching war zone. Hours later I would learn that a terrorist attack happened at Reina nightclub as hundreds of revelers marked the new year. In the report I read, 39 had died. That number has likely risen. It felt like June 12th all over again. At the Orlando Tournament of Roses Parade a float with a giant dove and rose pedal rainbow reminded us all of the senseless loss at Pulse.  New Year’s Eve should be about new beginnings but madness prevails.

Sugar Cash Kids and the Forgotten Island at Fringe.

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I had sketched a Sugar Crash Kids and the Forgotten Island rehearsal, so I knew this was going to be a fun show. Blue glowing orbs sat on the stage as the audience entered the theater. I took a seat in what I call the Lincoln booth. Seth Kubersky and Genevieve Bernard joined me. Dancers tumbled and somersault on to the stage, to interact with the glowing orbs. The show opened with an inspiring song in which a young woman (Mary Hannah Butler) yearned to overcome her fears and sour into the world of the imagination. as the song reached its pinnacle, she soared on the wings of an eagle. The story was cut short when young Mei (Kennedy Mason) yelled at her father (Bert Rodriguez) to stop telling the story. She was too old for such fairy tales. She only wanted to hear about what is real and can be touched. It had all been a bedtime story. Her father left, but left the book behind.

When she fell asleep, the bed transformed into a doorway to another world. A child in the audience whispered “Whoah!” And adults in the audience laughed in appreciation for his sense of wonder. Dancers played with Mei making sounds in the dark to startle her.  She was finally greeted by a member of the ensemble (Cole Nesmith) who sang a rousing song titled “You are here!” Where is here, you might ask, “Well, here of course.” Mei was in a tropical forest and to find her way back home she had to consult with a robot. It had been inactive for years since the forest sprites didn’t know how to activate him. ” Did you try tuning it on?” Mai asked. She pressed a button and the robot, named Boltz (Gregory Coleman) booted up sounding like an old Apple computer.

The bed transformed into a pirate ship, and it took Mai and Boltz on a magical voyage. The once cynical Mai now imagined magical creatures inhabiting the sea. She was finally swept away in the world of the imagination. On the lawn of fabulousness I was asked if an adult should see this show. I answered yes. If you have an ounce of  imaginative shirt left in your soul, then you will love this show. The songs are well written by Joshua Pearson, and Jeremiah Dunlap. I find myself humming them even now. The audience stood and cheered. I whistled since I was still scribbling away.

I bet that this show will become a patrons pick and get an encore performance. If so, don’t miss it!

Violectric Debut Revolutionary LED Instrument Lighting “Violuminescence” at Bite.

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Bite Night, hosted by the Orlando Weekly was held at The Orchid Garden and Ballroom at Church Street in Downtown Orlando from 7pm-10pm on June 29th.   I went to the event specifically to sketch the premiere performance of Violuminence. 

Michelle Jones the founder of Violectric asked her husband, Jerry Jones, the groups technical director to design the diodes along the rims of the instruments which made them glow like souped up Harley Davidson motorcycles. Violuminescence produces unique, lighted string instruments that can be remote controlled to enhance any performance in an unrivaled manner.

When I arrived, the event was just getting started but there were already long lines for food. I immediately started hunting for my sketch opportunity. I ran into Ilene Lieber the groups pleasant and hard working PR representative and she let me know that the Violuminence performance would start at 9pm in front of the DJs table on the main floor. That gave me several hours to sketch in the Orchid Room’s magical turn of the century decor. When Violumenence began, I added color starting with the blue glow of the instruments. The instruments glowed in every color of the rainbow as if celebrating the recent Supreme Court decision allowing everyone to share the rights of marriage.

“We are beyond excited to finally unveil Violuminescence to the public later the month,” said founder of Violectric and Fretless Rock, Michelle Jones.  “This will be the first opportunity for public audiences to experience Violuminescence and revel in this truly spectacular and awe-inspiring musical innovation.  We are known for getting audiences up out of their seats and dancing along with us as we play, and we look forward to blowing away all our loyal fans with Violuminescence and hopefully gaining many more new ones worldwide.”

When the violins performed Journey‘s Don’t Stop Believing, everyone in the room started singing along. “Shadows searching in the night”. It was really a magical moment. The crowd was hooked and I sang along as I sketched. The violinists weren’t passive. They began moving around the room finding their way through the crowd.  By the time my sketch was done, the crowd was starting to thin out. All the food vendors had packed up. Darn it. I hadn’t tasted a bite so I can’t report on how good the food was. Genevieve Bernard and Seth Kubersky told me that the food directly across the room from me was absolutely delicious. I am pleased by the rich warm and cool colors that I could catch with my digital sketch.  For more information on Violectric contact 407-434-1261 and for more information on Fretless Rock by Strings Etc visit their web page.

Shin Sushi

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On Friday February 28th, I went to meet Julie Anderson at Shin Sushi (803 N. Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL) to discuss the Orlando Sentinel‘s new “HypeOrlando Blogs.” This can be found on the Sentinel website on the “Home” tab at the top of the page. Several months ago, Terry and I bumped into Julie and her husband Lars at an outdoor cafe in Winter Park. Over drinks, Julie first described the “Hype” concept. A newspaper in Chicago first developed the idea where a large group of bloggers all contribute to the same blog site. None of the contributors is paid, so the newspaper online site gets plenty of creative content for free.

In return, “Hype” contributors would get, a daily newsletter from an experienced blogger
on how to build audience (Search engine optimization, optimizing
Facebook, writing headlines that make people click, etc.)

Offline blogger community meetups. 

Free platform and technical setup.

Ongoing technical support.

Monthly incentives and contests for writing and audience-building.

I got to the Sushi restaurant a bit early since I had just done an interview with Seth Kubersky a few blocks away for a write up in the Orlando Weekly. The head waiter at Shin Sushi told me I would have to wait an hour before I could get inside. I had hoped to sketch the interior and fill the sketch with patrons as they arrived for the lunch hour. Oh, well, it was a nice day outside, so I sat across the street and sketched the barren exterior. As I was finishing my sketch, I saw Julie approach the restaurant and go inside. I packed up the supplies and rushed across the street. The restaurant was bustling now. I ordered some sushi combo which turned out to be much more food than expected.

HypeOrlando in it’s first weeks had about 30 contributors. Julie hopes to push those numbers up into the hundreds. My impression is that “Hype” is a great opportunity for beginning bloggers. All the layouts for the blogs are identical making it hard to tell one blog from another. The one established “Hype” blogger that I recognized was  Kristen Manieri who runs Great Dates Orlando. Over lunch, Julie pushed for the idea of having me channel all my future content over to the “HypeOrlando” site. This seemed like an extreme notion which would likely result in my loosing many readers in the transition. I can’t imagine giving up a site that I’ve built up over 5 years. Kristen still maintains her original site while occasionally contributing to “Hype”. The fact that I post creative content every day means that I would have to write a new article any time I wanted to contribute to “Hype.” I would have to add an 8th day to my work week! I asked about just posting an article on “Hype” that already ran or simultaneously ran on Analog Artist Digital World. Julie said that the Google search engine would label any re-purposed article as spam thus all content would have to be new.

I fired of a long list of concerns. I didn’t like having to give up a large header on the new site. Apparently the “Chicago Now”  site learned that letting contributors create their own headers resulted in some very bad and amateurish designs. The “Hype” site limits each contributor to a one inch square avatar. It results in trying to create a recognizable brand on the size of a postage stamp. I was also concerned that there is no right click copyright protections making it easy for Sentinel Surfers to copy any sketches I post to the site. This is an ongoing concern since even the Downtown Arts District and the City of Winter Park do not realize that it is wrong to copy and republish work without permission. The Internet is a lawless Wild West for theft and ripping. The fact that City organizations have no clue about copyright makes it appear that Orlando is a second rate city. Terry seems to feel there is no advantage to posting on “Hype”. Even the name seems to imply vacuous content with little substance. I’m still weighing the options. I might even cut back submissions to Analog Artist Digital World to 6 days a week and submit one article a week to “Hype”. I’ve been making adjustments to try and allow for more family time and contributing free content to “Hype” could be a step backwards. I was surprised and pleased that Julie paid for lunch.

Let me know what you think. Should I stay the course and keep AADW a daily, or should I also contribute to the “Hype”? Leave me a message below. One last note. Something I ate at Shin Sushi didn’t agree with me and I had the runs all afternoon. Not a good sign.

Otronicon VIP Party

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On Thursday January 16th I went to sketch the Otronicon VIP Party at the Orlando Science Center, 777 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL. The VIP Party gave Mayor Buddy Dyer and other politicians a platform to proclaim Orlando the center of the high tech digital universe.

Most intriguing was Sarah Anderson who in 2003 lost the use of her legs in a car accident. She was sporting an EKSO Bionics suit that used a computer and digitally balanced braces that helped her stand and walk. I had sketched Sarah Anderson one other time at a fundraiser. Oddly, her story that evening was that she lost the use of her legs in a skiing accident.  Perhaps the executives or PR department felt that an auto accident is something more people could identify with and therefor would sell more bionic suits.

The military was out in force demonstrating flight and battle simulators. The mayor delighted in telling a story about how he blew a six inch hole into a friends chest. Students demonstrated a robot they had built for a robotics competition. One student had a Frisbee, so I suspect that in competition the robot would have to throw the Frisbee. This big orange boxy robot however wasn’t yet up to the challenge. Jen Vargas and Josh Murdock, both sporting Google glass headsets stopped to say hi. They are both going to be on a panel discussion about technology. Jen will be screening a film that won the Orlando 48 hour film festival. Teams of filmmakers were given only 48 hours to write, direct, shoot and edit their films. Seth Kubersky was at the event reporting for the Orlando Weekly.

Otronicon, running every day through January 20th, is a celebration of interactive technology’s role in how we
live, learn, work and play. The event features larger-than-life video
game experiences, state-of-the-art medical and military simulators,
workshops taught by industry pros, and so much more! The event has the
opportunity to inspire a child’s interest in science and tech careers
through the appeal of video games, interactive technology and virtual
reality.

Admission
to Otronicon is $19 for adults and $13 for youth (ages 3-11). Tickets
also include access to the new traveling exhibit “Zoom Into Nano,” giant
screen and 3-D educational films, one Hollywood feature-length film,
and live programming. Science Center members can experience Otronicon
for free. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, January 19 and Monday, January 20.

For more information, please call 407-514-2000 or visit www.otronicon.org.

Imperial Wine Bar and Beer Garden

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The Imperial Wine Bar and Beer Garden, located in Ivanhoe Village, (1800 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL) specializes in boutique wines and craft beers. Located in the back of an antiques store, the bar offers an exotic, comfortable yet elegant pub atmosphere. Terry and I went here one night to meet Wendy Wallenberg and her entourage. When we arrived, we spotted Genevieve Bernard and some of her girlfriends. Genevieve works at the Mennello Museum, is the founder of Voci Dance and runs Kid’s Fringe. Needless to say, she is very involved in the arts and always busy. Her husband Seth reports on the arts for the Orlando Weekly, so I bump into him quite often in my explorations. One of Genevieve’s friends knew of my blog. She introduced herself saying, “You might not know me, but I certainly know you since I read your posts.” Another friend said she read Analog Artist Digital World when she moved out of town to check back and see what is happening in Orlando. It made me happy to think I am providing some kind of service with my obsessive sketching and ramblings.

That reminded me, I hadn’t done a sketch yet today. Wendy and her friends arrived and we exchanged places with Genevieve’s friends as they left. The place was packed. The Imperial has over 40 beers and 45 wines to choose from, with something to offer every beer and wine drinker, from the
novice to the adventurous. I muscled up to the crowded bar to get a drink for Terry and myself. I got a German beer, Weissen-something, and Terry wanted a hard cider. Though I risked seeming anti-social, I sketched. A huge blue Buddha sat crated behind our table. Outside, a food truck generator purred. Wendy’s friend Denise ordered some sort of sushi or volcano roll from the truck. As the conversation darted from journalism to fashion to sports cars, my eyes darted about trying to lock people into a composition. Wendy has to be the most animated person I know. She is a constant blur of motion.  When we left, Wendy gave Terry pointers on how she needs to customize her new Porche. The car was called “Baby” for a while but now she is called “Enterprise“.

Phantasmagoria Dressing Room

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I went to the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center,(812 E. Rollins St., Orlando, FL), to sketch a dress rehearsal for Phantasmagoria IV: Hell Hath Risen. DiDonna Productions and
The Empty Spaces Theatre Co(llaboration), is proud to present the fourth
installment of their Macabre Halloween Celebrations. John greeted me when I entered and gave me a quick run down of the evening’s timetable. Since it was over an hour till the start of the run through, I asked if I could sketch the actors getting into makeup. With a flourish, John opened the dressing room curtain and introduced me. I already knew dancer Dion Smith, so I felt at home. An actress even told me that the two chairs next to the costume rack were free so I quickly sat and got to work.

Make up can take well over an hour for a show like this since skin is supposed to have a sinister ghostly cast. Eye lashes were exceedingly long and multiple layers of eyeliner accentuated the eyes. Seth Kubersky, one of the co-directors, entered and joked saying, “Three years sketching the Orlando Arts scene has been just a cover so you could sketch in actresses dressing rooms.” He has a point, this is as good as it gets in terms of back stage access. This is a subject that can never get old.

A stage manager shouted “Five minutes till fight rehearsal!” Actors shouted back, “Thank you five!” Not every actress was in costume. They quickly got into their Victorian dresses and went out for the fight sequence rehearsal before the run through of the show. When they were done, they quickly returned to the dressing room to finish up. There is a chaos and energy to these final moments that is quite addictive. As the actors rushed to get ready, I rushed to finish the sketch.

John gathered the entire cast and had them hold hands in a circle. “It has been four amazing years. For 2000 years this has been going on. Make the audience think. Live each story to the fullest. See you on the other side!”

“PHANTASMAGORIA IV–“Hell Hath Risen”
WHEN:
Oct 11th – 31st 2013
Fri, Sat, Sun @ 8:30pm
Special shows Monday Oct 21st and 28th and Halloween show on the 31st! All shows at 8:30pm
(Halloween show includes a very special epilogue not seen on other nights!)
All evening performances at 8:30pm (Box opens at 7:50pm/Doors at 8:10pm)
WHERE:
Mandell Theatre, John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center
Loch Haven Park, Orlando, FL
TICKETS:
General Admission $20.00 / Student and Senior $15.00
Reserve (for will call cash at door) 407-328-9005
Credit card orders www.redchairproject.com
PARKING:

Parking available in lots directly in Loch Haven, or in Science Center
Parking Garage off of Princeton (Next to Mennello Museum of Art)

Fringe Fundraiser at Hard Rock

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The 22nd Annual International Fringe Festival had a huge fundraiser at Hard Rock Live in Universal Studios. Several days prior, I had difficulty getting into the parking garage using my Florida Drivers license. Predicting a similar hassle, I scanned the parking voucher and changed the date to Monday March 4th. I could use the counterfeit voucher if needed to park. Walking from the parking garage, I saw “Dem Guys“, David Horgan, Ed Anthony, and Myron Blattner. “DEM Guys” sponsor a venue each year at Fringe and they always had a friendly competition to see who could see the most shows. Sadly, Myron died of natural causes last weekend at his home in Altamonte Springs. He was 77.

Seth Kubersky was shooting photos on his iPhone for the Orlando Weekly. The fundraiser was a night of Music, Comedy, Dance, and nonstop entertainment from some of Orlando’s top talents.

The evening was hosted by The Man of 10,000 Noises, Michael Winslow. Michael gained fame from his performances in the “Police Academy” movies and other blockbuster films such as “Spaceballs” and “Gremlins”, and has gone on to entertain audiences across the globe for the last 25 years. A master of vocal gymnastics, Michael can imitate over 1000 sound effects using his voice alone.

Featuring Fringe favorites The Mud Flappers and local all-star band The Downgetters.

With additional performances by Yow Dance, Skill Focus Burlesque, Emotions Dance, Circus Arts, ME Dance, Misa Flemenca, Tod Kimbrow and Dorothy Massey, Piranha the Musical, Laney Jones and Matt Tonner and The Downtowners. The Downtowners are a retirement home singing group and as they sang “I want to be Sedated” the song took on a whole new meaning.

The show went on for over three hours. Had I known I might have done another sketch. Towards the end all the performers were on stage singing the Beatles “Let it Be“. The song went on forever. I shouted along, “Let it Be!” meaning “Let the song end already!” The evening raised about $7000 for the Fringe which will officially start on May 15th in Loch Haven Park and Ivanhoe Village.